JOLIET'S 2ND ANTI-DRUGS MEETING IS QUIETER

Jerry Shnay, Tribune Staff WriterCHICAGO TRIBUNE

There was more light shed and little heat generated when city and county law enforcement officials urged members of a Joliet church group to work with police in ridding their area of what residents say is an infestation of drug houses.

Joliet Police Chief Joseph Beazley, Will County State's Atty. James Glasgow and Sheriff Brendan Ward took turns explaining to about 200 people at Sacred Heart Catholic Church how they can help.

The Sunday-afternoon meeting was a stark contrast to a February gathering that quickly turned into a verbal confrontation between the group and city officials after Beazley refused to attend.

At the time, Beazley said he declined the invitation because he, Glasgow and Ward would be given only "yes-or-no questions" to answer with a three-minute time limit. Beazley said what he wanted was "an open forum."

On Sunday, all three received 10 minutes to discuss the problem with concerned residents. They included members of the church's Drug House Abatement Committee, who had demanded action be taken against some 35 alleged drug houses in the community.

Beazley challenged the group to stay involved in the city's neighborhood policing program by forming block watch associations and supporting witnesses in court cases.

Sacred Heart Church is in an older area of Joliet south of the downtown city center that, according to Beazley, has seen a rapid increase in the crime rate.

"There's no question the volume of drugs houses there is the highest in the city," Beazley said Monday.

Beazley added that an analysis of the addresses provided by the committee found seven involved in drug transactions and another four that probably were involved. Four others have been closed by police, he said, "and most of the rest present some problems for neighbors but are not considered a drug house."

Ward discussed a number of arrests made in recent weeks by his countywide gang crimes unit, including the arrest of a person suspected of dealing drugs in Plainfield and Crest Hill who lived in one of the pinpointed drug houses in the area.

The sheriff added that the unit would be able to work with Joliet police in curbing the crime rate.

Glasgow said a countywide gang intelligence unit was in the works. That, he told the audience, would be a tremendous step in "breaking down the barriers" between police departments and "would benefit everyone."

Glasgow said it was essential that residents work with all law enforcement agencies.

Part of the city's earlier difficulties with the church group stemmed from a perception that it was organized by JACOB, or Joliet Area Church Organized Body, a group that frequently has been at odds with the city over community-based issues.

"There's no question that the first meeting was set up with the JACOB format," said Beazley a day after the meeting, adding that "paid staffers" from JACOB met with him before he decided not to attend.

But Beazley insisted he had "no problem" with the church group members "if they are genuinely interested" and not just trying to "deceive me and strong-arm me."

Another meeting between the group and officials has been scheduled for April 21.

Said Bennett, "Hopefully, they'll bust some drug houses between now and April 21."